Google drops support for Chrome 53 and below by the end of 2017

Home » News » Google drops support for Chrome 53 and below by the end of 2017

If you are still using version 53 and below of Chrome, now might be the right time to upgrade as Google plans to ditch support for older versions of the browser by the end of the year. The search giant announced that it would display a banner at the top of the Gmail interface announcing the move beginning on February 8 for users who still use Chrome 53 and below.

Google now wants users to upgrade to Chrome 55, currently the latest version of the browser which contains a slew of critical security updates. The Mountain View giant noted the move would most significantly affect users on Windows XP and Windows Vista because Microsoft no longer supports those systems. Google said in its announcement:

Gmail users that are still on Windows XP and Windows Vista are the most likely to be affected, because v49 was the last released version which supported those operating systems.

Why you should upgrade to Chrome 55

Google recommends users immediately upgrade to the latest version of Chrome. Continued use of Chrome 53 can lead to critical security issues. Users will also lose access to important features and bug fixes after support ends. So what happens after Chrome 53 loses support? Google explains:

Gmail will continue to function on Chrome Browser v53 and below through the end of the 2017.

If you continue to use older versions of Chrome Browser now that support has ended, Gmail will be more vulnerable to security risks and users will not have access to new features and bugfixes.

Users who remain on Chrome v53 and below could be redirected to the basic HTML version of Gmail as early as Dec 2017.

Now that Google is dropping support for Chrome 53, will you be upgrading to the browser’s latest version? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.